These 11 Air Fryer Hacks Make Vegetables FUN Again
Calling all vegetable fans (and foes) – these air fryer hacks are for you!
We’re all trying to eat healthy, but it’s not always easy to get excited about vegetables.
Enter the air fryer!
This incredibly fun appliance not only cooks fresh veggies quickly without heating up the oven, but clean up is a cinch afterward! Plus, we’ve got some pretty delicious air fryer hacks that’ll have even the pickiest eaters asking for seconds.
My air fryer has quickly turned into my favorite kitchen appliance!
I recently upgraded to a larger 6-quart NuWave air fryer and I LOVE it! I can cook a lot more food at one time now for my family. It’s super easy to use and saves time and effort in the kitchen. I also like the design of the inner basket on this brand because food doesn’t seem to stick at all!
Air frying gives cooked vegetables that awesome tender-in-the-middle and crunchy-on-the-outside texture that we all crave!
Can you recreate most of the following ideas in a conventional oven?
Sure, though I find using the air fryer to be time-saving, great-tasting, and less hands-on. Need another benefit? The air fryer doesn’t heat up your kitchen like your oven will, and it uses less energy! Plus, air frying makes cooking fun again!
Simple veggie side dishes are the best!
The thing I love most about air frying veggies is that basically you can spray or coat most veggies with olive oil, season as desired, and cook in the air fryer. It makes for some yummy and quick side dishes when you’re in a pinch during the busy week.
Here are some of my favorite air fryer hacks for vegetables!
1. Kale Chips
Crispy kale chips in less than 10 minutes? Yes, please! If kale chips are your thing, they turn out fantastic in the air fryer! To make, first separate about 3 cups of leaves from the stem. Toss in a little olive oil, salt, and pepper, and then air fry for about 7 minutes at 370 degrees. Shake the basket halfway through. Oh my, these are such a great snack.
2. Buffalo Cauliflower
Try adding buffalo wing sauce to your roasted cauliflower! It’s so darned good and addicting. Spray cauliflower florets with olive oil, add salt and pepper, and then cook for 5 minutes in the air fryer at 400 degrees. Toss the cauliflower in a little wing sauce and cook for another 5-6 minutes until tender.
3. Fried Pickles (Keto/Low Carb Version)
Make these crispy air-fried pickles by creating a breading out of grated Parmesan cheese and crushed pork rinds. Dredge the pickles in almond flour, then in a whisked egg, and finally in the Parmesan cheese and pork rind mixture. Place these in a greased air fryer basket in a single layer and mist the tops with olive oil. Set the timer for 6 minutes at 370 degrees, and enjoy! They get so crispy and yummy!
Hip Tip: If you’re not eating low carb, try white flour instead of almond and breadcrumbs instead of pork rinds! Use this same breaded idea for sliced zucchini, yellow squash, etc.
4. Green Beans
Air fried green beans ROCK! Spray them with olive oil, salt, and pepper, and air fry at 400 degrees for about 10 minutes until tender/crisp. You can also add a little ranch seasoning to these, or you can season as desired. Sometimes just a squeeze of fresh lemon after cooking is delicious!
5. Herb Roasted Carrots and Potatoes
Potatoes are one of my favorite things to cook in my air fryer! First boil these simple baby potatoes for 5 minutes. Then combine them with carrots, and coat everything with olive oil, garlic salt, and Herbes de Provence seasoning blend. Cook in the air fryer at 390 for about 20 minutes. SO GOOD!
6. Brussels Sprouts
Love crispy Brussels sprouts? The air fryer gets Brussels sprouts tender on the inside and crispy on the outside. I love this texture so much. To make, coat the Brussels sprouts with olive oil, season, and then cook in the air fryer for about 10-12 minutes at 400 degrees. Stop and shake the basket to turn the sprouts halfway through cooking.
7. Sweet Potato Fries with Avocado Dipping Sauce
If you LOVE sweet potatoes (or even if you’re on the fence), try these air fryer sweet potato fries with avocado dipping sauce! They’re a delicious, crowd-pleasing side dish or snack, and they’re so easy to prepare! The dipping sauce is fantastic.
8. Corn on the Cob
Classically roasted corn on the cob is a cinch to make in the air fryer. Just spray with oil, salt, and pepper, and air fry at 390 degrees for 12 minutes. I also make frozen corn this way, and it’s SO GOOD.
9. Parmesan French Fries
Love fries? Add Parmesan cheese and garlic to these easy-to-make french fries, or serve them up with salt and pepper (or any other seasonings you prefer)! Get the easy recipe HERE.
10. Air Fried Asparagus
Asparagus just happens to be a vegetable my kids eat without much complaining, but it’s kinda annoying to heat the oven up to prep it. Instead, just pop your asparagus in the air fryer and mist with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Cook on 400 degrees for about 8-10 minutes until tender. (Time will depend on how thick your asparagus is.)
11. Roasted Garlic
Roasting garlic has never been so quick! Simply cut the top off of a head of garlic, and drizzle with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Place in foil and set the timer for 15-20 minutes at 400 degrees until golden.
Your garlic cloves will easily slide out and are ready to be used in lots of recipes like garlic bread, Alfredo sauce, and (of course) with your veggies or fries! Even just spreading roasted garlic cloves on a cracker or bread is delicious!
Make a bloomin’ onion at home with this simple air fryer recipe!
Lina,
Thanks for this article. I never knew that I could do corn-on-the-cob and roast garlic in my air fryer!
Awesome! Enjoy ❤️
This is great! Thanks!
Thanks so much!
Great hacks but that roasted garlic totally triggers my trypophobia 🤗
I wasn’t going to say anything but then I saw this comment and LOLed, that was my first thought too! I saw the preview and I was like what is that!? *shudder* But the other hacks look really good! 🙂
It triggered mines too AP, I was like eeewww what is that. Now I’m itchy all over😣😑😏😑🙄
glad i’m not alone! I saw that and I was like what the heck is that, it looks creepy.
That’s the reason I clicked this post! Lol…I was like what on earth is that food in the main picture. Was so strange looking!
I thought it was sliced okra!
Holy cow, I never knew there was a word for the way I feel when I see stuff like that…. and now I know!!! 🤮🤮🤮
Me either brittani. I googled it 😱 the most disgusting stuff ever showed up. Now my skin is crawling and I can’t sleep!!
Thank you so much for this article, Lina! I grew up with my mother boiling all of our vegetables until they were a soggy mess. To this day, I only like raw, crispy vegetables but I think those air fryer veggies look pretty tasty!
Ha! Thanks Christina 🙂
Thanks for the tips. Do you have a recommendation for a sprayer for olive oil?
https://amzn.to/2JFkauh I have this one and enjoy it 🙂
I love the cute titles you gave this post!! Hehe
Ha thanks! 🙂
The song titles made my day! Lol 😂
Ha yay!
Agree! LOL
It’s crazy how many times I’ve been in need of a recipe, then you post it within a day of me thinking it! I just bought an air fryer Monday and was searching for vegetable recipes…flip over to Hip2Save and BAM!! Problem solved! Thanks for being so thorough and on trend!
Oh you’re so sweet! Thanks for reading 👍
(Sigh) Now I feel the need to buy an air fryer as well. Any suggestions about which one/size/ etc? There is also that new version just out? Single person household here ( most of the time ) but I like to cook in larger
quantities when I do cook.
I love, love my Nuwave 6 quart. I use it every day. Fantastic roasted veggies, baked and air fried white and sweet potatoes and any meats. Meatballs are a breeze. They cook up so fast and so much easier than frying in a pan & no grease to add to your sauce. Reheating is sooo much better than the microwave.
I love French fries but I don’t eat fried food often, these hacks are perfect. I will buy an air fryer ASAP, my first thing to cook will be sweet potatoe fries!!!
Awesome- enjoy Mary!
I recently bought the 8qt Air Fryer Oven, it’s on its way to me. I’m so excited to start using it. It’s an air fryer but it’s also a dehydrator and a rotisserie all in one! 😁
How awesome! Yes I watched the infomercial! Ha That’s exciting ❤️
Are there any deals for air fryers??
I think jcp or Macy’s is having one on Friday. Commercial said Black Friday in May
Oh my gosh! This is my favorite post! 😂 And now I’m rapping in my head like it’s 1990. Bahaha Ice is back I got a brand new invention!…
Ha – so awesome!
Thanks for the tips/recipes! I just got my air fryer and I LOVE trying new recipes.
You’re so welcome!
My favorite has become bacon or proscciutto wrapped asparagus. 400 for 8 minutes depending on the thickness of the meat. When finished drizzle with lemon juice. YUM!
Yum and thanks for sharing!
Oh my gosh how awesome! Thanks!
You’re so welcome! Thanks for stopping by ❤️
eggs are not veggies BUT I put in four at 260 deg for 13 min and took a 30 min nap – one peeled perfectly so I cooked four more and ALL 8 peeled perfectly AND I do have witnesses!! 87 and gone air fryer CRAZY cooked bacon over squash in AF basket so good
Awesome 👏- thanks for sharing!
Holy crapola, batman! Strong work on this list. I was going for a health-ier dinner last night and trying to keep it low carb, and your green beans idea was a huge hit! I used some homemade ranch seasoning on top and then whipped up some chicken tenders in pork rinds/almond meal… Will definitely be cooking in the air fryer again! Thank you!
Yum!! That’s so great to hear!
Hey Lina, do you have any suggestions for Zucchini Chips? I’ve been scouring the net & pinterest for recipe ideas, but most of them are for the oven or breaded. I just want a simple chip, maybe tossing them with just some evoo, s, p & maybe garlic powder and paprika. But unsure on the temp & cook time. Thanks! I’ve made the asparagus & brussel sprouts and they were delish! I thought I loved the pressure cooker, but the air fryer is like my new BFF!
Air fry at 370 F for 8 minutes and then flip them over and cook for another 7-8 minutes.
Hi Mel I found these directions online- seems about right! I know air dryers ROCK! My sidekick Mary did crispy apple chips this weekend that looked awesome! 👍 Enjoy!
Thanks! Trying to plan lunch this wk for dh and I since he’s off. He’s really been impressed with how much the air fryer can do!
Can you cook frozen battered veggies? It doesn’t look like regular tempura will work, too messy. 🙁
Oh ya I’m sure that’d work! 😋
Great article! Just got an air fryer for Christmas and it’s great to see it has so many uses!
thanks! I think you’ll love it!
Since my son and daughter in law got me my Air Fryer I found out that this can be used to fry anything else that can be fried, I use it all the time for veggies and meat, I am going to try many other things in it. It is perfect for only one person.
Do you have to snap the ends of the green beans? Your picture looks like the ends are still on there
Sure – it’s most likely personal preference, but that’s a common way to prep them 👍
It was too difficult to scroll through the recipes because of the number of ads that kept popping up. I gave up.
I cooked fried okra in mine and my husband loves it. I buy the frozen in the bag and add seasonings.
That’s so awesome! Thanks for sharing ❤️